What soldiers can learn from diplomats in war zones

The U.S. military is “not very adept” at understanding foreign cultures and has relied on the Foreign Service to provide those skills in war zones, Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, says on this week’s episode of “Conversations with Nicholas Kralev.”

Caslen, who has served twice in Iraq and once in Afghanistan, explains the different approaches America’s soldiers and diplomats employ in order to accomplish a mission, and what they have learned about each other in the most recent wars. He also talks about U.S. weapons sales to other countries.

During a career of nearly four decades in the U.S. Army, Caslen has also served in Haiti, Honduras and a variety of domestic assignments. He became West Point’s 59th superintendent in July 2013.

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Nicholas Kralev is an author, entrepreneur and expert in international diplomacy, strategic communications and global aviation. A former Financial Times and Washington Times correspondent, he has traveled around the world with four U.S. secretaries of state — Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright. He has flown over 2 million miles and visited 96 countries.